Coupling connection for filling lines of underground tanks



Nov. 10, 1931. w, WHEATON 1,830,973

COUPLING CONNECTION FOR FILLING LINES 0F UNDERGROUND TANKS Filed April 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. ,A'Zram Kylie-122 COUPLING CONNECTION FOR FILLING LINES OF UNDERGROUND TANKS Filed April 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l6 /6 I I II 1g 7 E l /4 zf 1/01 /Z 3 37 IN VEN TOR.

Hiram I17. meafiru, 7

BY &m w ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTITOTFFIYCE ABRAM w. wnEA'roN, or MAPLEWOOD, unw JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO A. w. WHEA'I'ONH,

BRASS WORKS, 01E NEW'ARK, NE? JE-BSEY A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY COUPLING OONNECTION FILLING LINES F UNDERGROUND TANKS Application filed. April 23,

c a filling hose or like conduit leading from the out-let end of a tank wagon, car or other source of supply of fiuidtobe delivered into and stored in said underground tank; and to'this end the invention provides, for permanent attachment to theupper or ground level end of a filling pipe leading to an underground tank, a novel couphng socket having a removable self-sealing cover plate,and a. novel coupling nozzle, for permanent connection with a filling hose or like conduit, adapted for detachable coupled connection with said coupling socket when the cover plate of the lattcr is removed. l V

The invention has for a-further object to rovide a novel form of coupling connection Eetween separable members of a conduit which is comprised of a minimum number of parts, which is self-sealing as to the joint formed between the coupled parts, and which may be easily and quickly manipulated either to couple or uncouple the conduit members.

The invention has for a furtherobject to provide means for so interlocking the coupling nozzle to the coupling socket as to prev vent rotation of the'former relative to the latter, and so that the detachable coupling'nozzle may be disposed and maintained-in a desired selected position when in coupled engagement with the coupling socket.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following .detailed description of thesame.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which v i Fig.1 is a group view showing the novel coupling socket as permanently connected with a filling pipe leading to anunderground tank and as embedded in the flooring or pav- 929. Serial No. 357,429.

'ing at the ground level above said tank, said I coupling socket being shown in vertical sec tion and its cover member being shown interlocked n1 closing and sealing relation thereto, thedetached relation of the cover member being shown in dotted outline. and also in this group is included aside elevation of the novel coupling nozzle ready for connect on with the coupling socket when the cover. member is removed from the latter. 2 1s a perspective view, somewhat'enlarged: of the cover member of the couplingsock eti Fi 3 is a longitudinal section through'the couplingsocket and coupling nozzle with the 3 5 parts separated or uncoupled; Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts in coupled relation: Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 1n Big. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 4: Fig.

81s ahorizontal cross section taken on line 8-8 1D. Fig. 4: said catedun connection with the enumerated section line's. r i T i Similar characters of reterence are amploved in all of the herein hove' descrihed views. to indicate correspondin par sl I Referrin to s id drawi gs. the reference character 10 indicates a filling pipe which leads downwardlv from ground leve to underground tank or eservoir (not sh wnl S itably afliYed o the u per T i I filling pipe 10, as bv screwing its lower end externally over and upon the same. is an annular cou ling socket 111 Integra -1v iorme'd on they interior of'sa i supporting flange or shoulder 12. and below said flange or shoulder 12 and adapted to pvoiect laterally into the interior of the coupling socket is a stop proiection 13. Formed in the interior side of the wall of said con- 95 pling socket, so as to extend around the same in horizontal plane respectively from dirametric'a-l opposite points, are ,locking grooves or channels 14, the upper sides. of

which are inclined planes descending from 100 Q is a horizontal 570 cross section taken on line 7-7 in Fig. 4, and

sections all being viewed in the direction of the arrows indiend of said a id coupling I socket is an inwardlv protecting annular 9,0

left to right. Also formed in the interior side of the wall of said coupling socket, to respectively communicate with the widest parts or receiving ends of the locking grooves or channels 14, are vertical entrance ways or grooves '16 extending downwardly from an upper seat portion 17 which is bounded by a peripheral upstanding flange 18 formed at the upperend of said coupling socket 11.

The couplingsocket 11 thus constructed .is preferably countersunk in the surface flooring or pa ing 19 which usually covers the ground level above the buried tank, and as thus arranged said coupling socket is imbedded in such flooring or paving 19 (which is ordinarily made of cement or concrete), but with its upper end open at the surface level of said flooring-or paving.

Means are provided to normallvclose-and seal the coupling socket when the same is not :in use. This means comprises a cover ,plate20 which is provided on its under side with a central boss 21. Arranged against the under surface of the cover plate-20 and around the boss 21 is a sealing gasket .22, which may be made-of rubber, leather, fiber, or any .other suitable material. I-ntegrally formed with the boss are parallel spaced apart transverse ribs .23, between which .is pivotally mounted, on the pivot pin .24supported by said ribs. a latch piece 25 having oppositely extending lock tongues 26. To assemble-the cover plate in locked and sealing relation to the couplinsg'socket 11, said cover plate is turned to align the lock tongues 26 with the ways or grooves 16 leading to the locking grooves or channels 14'. When the latch piece is thus disposed. the cover memher is lowered until the sealing gasket 22 rests upon the upper :seat 17-of the coupling socket, whereupon the cover plate is rotated on its vertical axis so that the lock tongues .26 will ride into the locking grooves 01' channels 14in such manner as to-engage the descending inclined'planes 15 which bound the upper sides of said locking grooves or channels; such-enaagementtending to draw down the cover plate 20 to firmly press the gasket 22 into tight sealing relation to-and upon the .seat 17 of .the coupling socket, while at the same time locking the cover plate against accidental removal. Owing to the fact that the latch piece 25 is .pivoted .on the pivot pin 24 it follows that the same isfree to rock on the latter and will. therefore. .be self-adjusting so as to equalize the downward pressure pling socket. The fluid tight joint thus formed adequately resists downward leakage coupling socket, said cover plate is provided in its upper side with a socket 27 having 'T-branches .28 whereby, when a :properly formed wrench is inserted in the socket 27 and turned into the 'T-branches 28, noton'ly may the cover member -be rotated on itsvertical axis to engage or release the lock tongues '26 withor from the locking grooves or-channels '14. but may also be "lifted out of and away from the coupling socket under upward pulllng movement of the wrench.

The reference character 29 indicates acouphng nozzle. "the upper endof which may be connected with a flexible conduit or hose '30 by any suitable means adapted to unite the .one :to the other. Preferably the upper end of said coupling nozzle is made in a curved formas shown, so that it may be :oif-set in a desired direction. Integrally formed upon and'adjacent'to the lower or free end of said coupling nozzle is an annular laterally ,pro-

iecting shoulder 31 upon the under" side or face of whichis arrangedasealinggasket 32. The lower marginal extremity of said coupling nozzle is provided with. circumferenti ally-spaced positioning notches 33 indented therein. Freely movable androtatable upon said coupling nozzle'29above'the should'er31,

is a'lock collar or ring '34, having hand grips 3'5 oppositely projecting from its upper peripheral margin. The lower margin of said lock collar or ring 34 is provided, at diametrically opposite points, with pivoting pro jections 36 which are adapted to engage the upper side of the annular shoulder 31. Integrally formed with and projecting laterally from the sides of said lock collar or ring 34, in diametrical opposite extension therefrom andat right angles to the pivoting projections'36, are lock tongues 37, which pref-. erably possess curved tops 38.

To assemble the coupling nozzle with the coupling socket in operative interlocked rela tion thereto, the cover -pl ate 20 is first removed fromthe coupling socket, whereupon the nozzle is brought into alignment with the latter. and then'lowered into the coupling socket until its lower extremity engages the stop projection '13, the nozzle being rotated on its vertical axis so that its upper curved end projects in a desired direction as governed by the-selected engagement of one of itsnotc'hes 33 with said stop projection 13, as shown more particularly in Figs. 4, 6 and 8. With the coupling nozzle thus arranged, the sealing gasket 32 will come to rest on'theinternal shoulder or flange 12. When-the nozzle is thus disposed in selected position, it is ready to be locked to the coupling socket. This is accomplished by grasping the hand grips 35 and turning the lock collar or ring 34 to such position that its lock tongues 37 are aligned with the entrance ways or grooves 16 leading to the locking grooves or channels 14, whereupon the collar is lowered and turned so as to enter said lock tongues 37 in said grooves or channels 14, and into engagement with the descending inclined planes 15 of said locking grooves or channels whereby the lock collar or ring 3 1 is caused to press downward on the shoulder 31 of the coupling nozzle, to in turn force the sealing gasket 32 into tightly pressed seated and sealing relation to the shoulder or flange 12 of the coupling socket 11. Owing to the fact that the lock collar or ring 34: possesses the pivoting projections 36 disposed at right angles to the lock tongues 37 and adapted to bear on the shoulder 31, it follows that the lock collar or ring 34 is ca pable of a lateral adjusting motion on said pivot projections 36 which will cause the lock tongues 37 to bear equally against the inclined planes 15 of the locking groovesor channels 14 notwithstanding any unevenness that may eXi st in the latter, and consequently the shoulder 31 will be equally and levelly pressed downward to firmly squeeze the sealing gasket 32 at all points of its circumference between said shoulder 31 and the flange or shoulder 12 of the coupling socket, all of which will be obvious from an inspection of Fifi. 4 more particularly.

Once the coupling nozzle is thus engaged with and locked to the coupling socket, a fluid tight joint will be established; furthermore, owing to the interlocking of the coupling nozzle against axial rotation by the mutual engagement of a notch'33 thereof with the stop projection 13 of the coupling socket, there is no risk of loosening or accidentally disengaging the coupled parts, no matter how the delivery hose to which the coupling nozzle'is 7 attached may be swung or movedabout. It

therefore follows that not only does the novel structure provided by this invention furnish a quick and easily manipulated coupling connection for the purposesdescribed, but also a coupling connection that its not likely to become disengaged when in use.

It will be noted that the novel coupling connection comprises but a minimum numher of parts, so that not only is the same capable of economical production but in use is under substantially no risk of becoming deranged. I

Having thus described my invention, claim:

1. Coupling connections of the kind described, comprising a couphng socket open at its upper end and having an internal an nular shoulder intermediate its ends to 'provide a seat, a separable coupling nozzle having an external annular flange adjacent to its free end with a sealing gasket engaging its underside, a manipulatable lock collar roclaim 1, in which said coupling socket is provided with an internal is 0p projection be neat-h saidseat, andthe free end of'said nozzle is provided with indented notches se-' lectively engageable with said stop-projection to dispose said nozzle in a selected coupled position and held against rotative displacement.

3. Couplii'ig' connections of the kind described comprising a coupling socket open at ts upper end and having an internal annular shoulder lllifillllECllaiZQltS ends to provide a seat, the interior walls of said 0011- pling socket above said seat having locking grooves with vertical entrance ways leading downwardly therelnto, said locking grooves being bounded on their upper sides by descending inclined planes, a. separable cou--' pling nozzle having an external flange adjacent to its free end with a sealing gasket engaging its underside, a manipulatable lock collar freely movable on said coupling noz- .zle, said lock collar having pivoting projections on its lower end to'bear on said flange, said lock collar being further provided with external lateral lock tongues oppositely projecting therefrom on a diametric line at right angles to the position of said pivoting projections, said lock tongues being engageablein and movable through said locking grooves against the bounding inclined planes thereof when said collar is'lowered into and rotated in said coupling connection to thereby produce a downward thrusting pressure on said nozzle flange to force the sealing gasket thereof down on said seat and at the same time lock said nozzle to said coupling socket.

-l. Coupling connections as defined in" claim 3, in which said coupling socket is provided with an internal stop-projection beneath said seat, and the free end of said nozzle is provided with indented notches selectively engageable with said stop pro jection to dispose said nozzle ina selected coupled position and held against :rotative displacement.

5. In coupling devices of the kind described, a female member having a socket open at its upper end and having van internal annular shoulder intermediate its ends :to provide a seat, a separable male member :having an external flange. provided on its under side With a sealing gasket to engage with said seat the interior Walls of said female member having locking means With vertical'entrance ways leading beneath thesame, said locking means being bounded on the under sides by descending inclined planes, andsaidmale member having a lock member, means for pivotally relating said lock member to said male member, said lock member including oppositely projecting tongues movable into engagement with said locking means against the inclined planes thereof While subject to compensating play through the pivotal relation of the lock member to said male member.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth aboveI have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of April, 1929.

ABRAM W. WHEATON. 

